I’m worried I may be developing schizophrenia. I know you guys can’t diagnose, but any insight would be appreciated. For the past 3 months or so, I’ve been very anxious, which is very unlike me. It started getting better several weeks ago until a few days ago. On Tuesday I was in the car with my smoky when I saw smoke rising in between the two front seats. My family didn’t see it, so I thought nothing of it and moved on. On Thursday I was at a large department store, when I heard this creepy voice saying “who even are you?”. There were other people at the store but I didn’t see anyone right beside me. It also just seems like a weird thing to say. Since then, I’ve been terrified that I may be developing schizophrenia. To be fair, I’m a pretty bad hypochondriac and have convinced myself in the past that I’m deathly ill with both mental and physical diseases in the past. I guess my question is, how long was it before hearing your first and second voices? Do you think I have anything to worry about? Please advise. Thank you in advance!
I’d wait and see if your symptoms continue or get worse. It could become a self fulfilling psychological complex on your part. You might make provisions to talk to a mental health professional and see if he or she sees anything in your case that looks alarming to them. So far, I don’t really see any symptoms that point straight to a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Well as you mentioned I can’t diagnose you. Speaking from personal experience with symptoms such as auditory hallucinations, the voice you heard sounds like something a person with schizophrenia may experience. I’ve never really had a visual hallucination so I can’t comment on the smoke you saw but maybe it’d be best if you saw a psychiatrist. What you described sounds like it could be symptoms of schizophrenia. From what I’ve read females develop schizophrenia later than males. Usually late twenties to mid thirties. However there are cases in which schizophrenia becomes apparent before that. Hope that helps. Only a trained mental health professional can properly diagnose you.
I think Crimby brings up a good point. Schizophrenia is a very debilitating illness. Not something I wanted to get diagnosed with but if symptoms continue you should definitely seek help.
I would hear a small voice from somebody I met or saw, it sounded like I could hear there thoughts or something and it happened twice from what I remember before I hit full blown psychosis hearing everybody’s thoughts and having crazy delusions.
If you have past experiences of being a hypocrandric, I think that is your main lead.
On the safe side, we would insist you to seek help if seen needed, and recieve answers to your questions from a trained professional, as studies have shown greater success rates when this illness is caught in its earlier stages.